At the famed vintage car show in north-east Florida, new versions of luxury sports vehicles and high-performance models were unveiled for the first time. At the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the most beautiful, exclusive, and quickest vehicles of their respective eras are usually assembled. This year, the world premiere of particularly exciting sports vehicles from the BMW model line took place at the renowned vintage car show in the north-east US state of Florida. The new BMW 8 Series and BMW M8 vehicles were unveiled to the public for the first time at the event. The commencement of BMW M GmbH’s activities to commemorate its 50th anniversary was also witnessed by visitors at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2022.
The tradition-rich event on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and the adjacent Golf Club of Amelia Island provided the ideal venue for showcasing the new BMW 8 Series’ precisely refined design and innovative amenities. All model variations of the BMW 8 Series Coupé, BMW 8 Series Convertible, and BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé now come standard with the M sports package. The illuminated “Iconic Glow” BMW kidney grille is at the heart of the revised vehicle’s front portion. Aerodynamically optimized external mirrors in the manner of the BMW M8 are standard on the 8-cylinder variants.
All variants in the new BMW 8 Series have an enlarged variety of standard equipment, including multifunction seats, a M leather steering wheel, and other M-specific design characteristics, highlighting their equally sporty and distinctive character. The standard BMW Live Cockpit Professional with a Control Display that has been expanded in size to 12.3 inches for optimal ease of use. “The new BMW 8 Series luxury sports cars have a significant position in BMW’s model line. Sebastian Mackensen, Head of BMW Group Region Americas and President & CEO BMW North America, said, “We are happy to be able to introduce these excellent models at one of the most famous automotive shows in America.”
The BMW M brand’s debut at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2022 brought history and the future together. BMW M GmbH displayed prior pioneering models as well as premium variants of its high-performance sports cars that would be available starting in spring 2022. The BMW M8 Competition Coupé (combined fuel consumption: 11.4 – 11.0 l/100 km according to WLTP, combined CO2 emissions: 260 – 251 g/km according to WLTP), the BMW M8 Competition Cabriolet (combined fuel consumption: 11.6 – 11.2 l/100 km according to WLTP, combined CO2 emissions: 264 – 255 g/km according to WLTP,) and the BMW M8 Competition The new BMW M8 models’ operating system now includes a 12.3-inch Control Display with touch functionality.
With its 460 kW/625 hp V8 engine incorporating M TwinPower Turbo technology and high-revving characteristics, the top models in the BMW M GmbH line not only offer fascinatingly energetic power delivery, but they also come with an extraordinarily comprehensive variety of standard equipment. This includes a flap-controlled M sports exhaust system, BMW laser light headlamps, a full Merino/Alcantara leather interior, and the BMW Head-Up Display with M-specific display components.
BMW M GmbH has made a strong start to its anniversary year with the introduction of its latest high-performance cars for the premium category. The BMW Group subsidiary BMW Motorsport GmbH, which was created in 1972, also contributed to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2022 program with a fascinating look back into its history. 50 milestones from BMW M GmbH’s 50-year model and racing history were featured in a special exhibition. An early prototype of the modern BMW M8 was also included. The prototype of a high-performance sports car with a V12 engine built by BMW M GmbH in the early 1990s and based on the then-current BMW 8 Series Coupé remained a one-off – and this was only the second time it was displayed in the United States.
A freshly restored example of the BMW M1 from 1980, the company’s first independently developed model, the BMW V12 LMR that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1999, and the all-electric BMW iX M60 that is about to be launched on the market (combined power consumption: 24.5 – 21.9 kWh/100 km according to WLTP; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km) were among the vehicles that were particularly influential in the development of BMW M GmbH.
Numerous automobiles owned by members of the BMW Car Club of America and from BMW North America’s historic car collection were included in this one-of-a-kind exhibition of excellent BMW M models from five decades. “We are always impressed and happy by the love and attention that many enthusiasts here spend in their cars, both old and new,” said Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. “We are honored to be able to spend our anniversary in this magnificent setting, surrounded by extraordinary people and automobiles.”
